Refrigerator



Jan. 15, 1935. AAC ON 1,988,042

REFR I GERAT OR Filed March 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor I Patented Jan. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ice refrigerators and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a refrigerator of this type including novel means for assuring a continuous circulation of air through the food compartment.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator of the afore- 10 mentioned. character comprising a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts for preventing water and condensation from dropping on to the food beneath the ice compartment.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a refrigerator of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in operation, sanitary and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, showing the invention installed for operation in a conventional ice refrigerator.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the invention.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a pair of side Walls 1 which are mounted in an upper corner portion of the refrigerator in spaced, opposed relation to each other in a manner to provide the lining or sides of an ice compartment 3. It will be noted that the innermost wall 1 terminates in spaced relation below the top of the refrigerator 2 for providing an air inlet passage to the ice compartment 3.

Extending between the lower portions of the side walls 1 and depending therefrom are front and rear plates 4 and 5, respectively, having inclined side edges provided with inturned drain flanges 6. Mounted between the lower ends of the plates 4 and 5 is a drain trough '7 from the lowermost portion of which a drain pipe 8 depends. The trough '7 includes a centrally located drain groove 9 toassure the rapid discharge of substantially all of the water from said trough. The trough '7 further includes inclined side walls 10, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 4 of the drawings.

Rigidly secured on the upper portions of the plates 4 and 5 are metallic brackets 11 the upper portions of which are engaged beneath retaining flanges 12 in which said plates 4 and 5 terminate at their upper ends. Removably mounted on the supports of brackets 11' is a grid which is designated generally by the reference numeral 13. The grid'13 includes inverted ice supporting channel bars 14 which are rigidly secured, at their ends, to transverse connecting bars 15 which, as best seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, are angular in transverse section and include inturned base flanges 16.

The reference numerals 1'7 and 18 designate inwardly inclined upper and lower water sheds, which extend between the plates 4 and 5. The sheds 1'7 and 18 are spaced from each other and from the drain trough '7 to provide spaces for the passage of cold air from the ice compartment 3 of the refrigerator. The upper sheds 1'7 are formed by turning the lower portions of the side walls 1 inwardly, as at 19. The sheds 17 further include upper plates 20 having their upper portions rigidly secured to the side walls or plates 1, as at 21, and their inner portions interlocked with the portions 19, as at 22. Fillers 23 of suitable material, preferably wood, are provided between the plates 19 and 20 of the sheds 17. The construction of the upper sheds 1'7 prevents condensation from forming thereon and dropping therefrom.

The lower water sheds 18 include inclined outer flanges 24 which extend upwardly, and downturned inner flanges 25. Mounted beneath the lower sheds 18 are condensation receiving pans 26 which correspond in cross sectional shape to said sheds 18, as best seen in Figure 4 of the drawings. As is believed to be apparent, the inclined condensation pans 26 deposit any condensation waters which may drop from the sheds 18 in the drain trough '7.

The reference numeral 27 designates a drip pan for receiving condensation from the drain trough '7. The drip pan 2'7 conforms in shape substantially to the drain trough 7 and is mounted in spaced relation therebeneath through the medium of substantially U-shaped hangers 28 which are fixed to the inclined side walls of said pan 27 and which are engaged over the inclined walls 10 of the trough 7. In its lower portion, the drip pan 27 is provided with an opening which accommodates the drain pipe 8.

In use, water from the melting ice 29 falls through th grid 13 and is directed by the sheds 17 and 18 into the trough 7 from which it is drained by the pipe 8, as will be readily apparent. Water which may run down the plates 4 and 5 is directed into the drain trough 7 by the side flanges 6. As hereinbefore stated, the pans 26 and 27 receive any condensation which may drop from the lower sheds 18 or the drain trough '7. As indicated by the arrows in Figure 1 of the drawings, the construction and arrangement is such that a continuous circulation of air through the food compartments of the refrigerator is caused, the cold air passing downwardly from the ice 29 between the plates 4 and 5 and then out between the sheds 17 and 18 and the drain trough 7 into the lower compartment of the refrigerator. The cold air then passes upwardly through the refrigerator and also indicated clearly by the arrows, and reenters the ice compartment 3 at the top thereof. Of course, the invention may be embodied in different types of refrigerators, such as those which are iced from the top, center, etc.

It is believed that the many advantages of a refrigerating apparatus in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the in- 'vention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A refrigerator, ice supporting means, a drain trough below said ice supporting means, water shed means intermediate said ice supporting means and drain trough, and pans spaced beneath said water shed means and said drain trough for receiving condensation therefrom.

2. In an ice refrigerator of the class described, a pair of spaced, opposed plates, supporting brackets fixed on the opposed faces of the plates, inturned flanges on the upper edges of the plates securing the upper portions of the brackets in position, and a removable ice supporting grid mounted on the brackets between the plates, said grid including a plurality of inverted channel bars, connecting bars rigidly secured to the end portions of the channel bars, said connecting bars being of angular transverse section, and inturned base flanges on the connecting bars engaged with the supporting brackets.

3. A refrigerator, an ice supporting means, a primary drain trough means spaced below said ice supporting means, a series of primary water shed means spaced apart and. being positioned intermediate said ice supporting means and said drain trough means, secondary Water shed means beneath said primary Water shed means and said drain trough means and spaced in close proximity thereto to provide narrow air passages between said primary and secondary Water shed means and drain trough means and adapted to prevent condensation moisture from dripping into the food compartment from said primary water sheds and drain trough.

4. In a refrigerator, ice supporting means, a drain trough spaced below said ice supporting means, and a series of water sheds in echelon relation to drain from one to another between said ice supporting means and said drain, each water shed means comprising a pair of spaced water shed members.

OSCAR G. ISAACSON. 

